+1 #630: Want to Be Great?

Hi, this is Brian. Welcome back to another optimize plus one. In our last plus one we talked about LeBron James and the fact that he tries to get 11 to 12 hours of sleep per day when he's training. So does Roger Federer. And Tom Brady is in bed at 8:30. Let's talk about LeBron a little more. Today, renowned mental toughness coach Bob Rotella kicks off his book How Champions Think with a story about how LeBron James thinks it goes something like this. Once upon a time, early in LeBron's career, Rotella spent some time working with him. He knew the basics. Six eight, a chiseled 250 pounds with explosive speed, a proven superstar. But it wasn't until they sat down and chatted that he really got LeBron's power. Rotella asked him about his goals and LeBron told him, I want to be the greatest basketball player in history. Rotella thought, beautiful. This is a truly talented guy. He tells us what he was most impressed by, and I quote, it was not that he had physical gifts, it was LeBron's mind specifically, it was the way he saw himself that most moved Rotella. I quote again, the vital importance of that sort of attitude is, is the foremost thing I have learned about exceptionalism in my decades of work with people striving to be great. That's worth repeating. Rotella has worked with the top performers for decades, and the foremost thing he has learned about exceptionalism and people striving to be great, the vital importance of seeing themselves and their potential with such audacious clarity. Which begs the question, how do you see yourself now? Continuing our story, after LeBron told Rotella he wanted to be the greatest basketball player in history, Rotella asked him where he thought he stood in relation to that goal. LeBron told him he thought he was doing pretty well, but that he wasn't going to be the greatest if his teams didn't win championships. And they weren't going to do that unless he became a better three point shooter. Long story short, Rotello told him to create a video montage of him nailing threes from every spot on the court, set it to music, watch it every night, feel it, program his subconscious mind. And he told him to hire a shooting coach, work with him every day and make 200 three point shots off the dribble every day while imagining the best defender guarding him. Then the make another 200, catch and shoot three pointers. Rotella says, quote, I told him I didn't care how many shots it took to make those 400 three pointers or how long it took. If he wanted to be great, he would find the time and find the energy. Rotella continues by saying the actual number of shots I suggested was not as important in my mind as the idea that that LeBron would set a practice goal for himself, commit to achieving it every day and wait patiently for the results. Fast forward. LeBron went from being a 29% 3 point shooter in his rookie season to a 40% beast collecting a few championships en route to his quest to be the greatest player ever. But of course this idea has nothing to do with LeBron James and his three pointers. It has to do with you. In what domain are you committed to being exceptional? Where do you think you stand in relation to that goal and what do you think you need to do every day to have a shot at being your exceptional best? Find the time, find the energy, be an exception, be exceptional.